[Blazers]Luke Jackson in, Koponen out? Opportunity for Rockets?

Not worth giving up any of our trade assets - let him go to Europe and get Vspan money and feel good about himself.

 

Nice pickup by Portland on Jackson since hes a local Oregonian. He had an amazing college career and I thought he would've been a good rotation player had he not been so injury prone. He was a lottery pick right after Iguodala and rightfully so. I hope he can make the team and contribute.

 

Koponen was very good the first couple of games in Vegas and then he tailed off. I don't think he will ever make an NBA team as more than a 10-12th man. The hot start raised his stock but the last couple of games were probably more indicative of his ability.

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

hooroo, I gotta give you credit, man. You're really pimping Koponen HARD. This is like the 10th thread I've seen you promoting the Rockets getting this kid.

That being said, I like him as well. He's a tall PG who can also shoot. Unfortunately, he's just not ready for regular season NBA ball. He has never played at any level above the Finnish League. I know that he dominated there, but the NBA is a HUGE step up from there.

I'm guessing that the Blazers do not want to trade Koponen, even if it means that he signs a long-term deal in Europe. Given Petteri's strong desire to play in the NBA, Portland may just let him develop overseas and then hope to sign him later when he is more NBA-ready. At that point, he'll have to take a substantial pay cut down to the 30th pick salary slot from 2007, but he'll have to take that if he wants to play in the NBA.

Also, as for Luke Jackson, I have read multiple reports that he is actually playing pretty good basketball. Several writers have stated that Jackson's promising career (remember, he was once the 10th overall pick in the draft) was derailed by injuries, not inability. Apparently, he has gotten over those injuries, has found his (very good) jumpshot and is ready to contribute as a quality shooter off the bench. As hooroo points out, he's a decent and low-cost replacement for James Jones.

 

I would trade for him, give them Luther and one of our high 2nd round picks.....

It can not hurt to have a good young PG on the roster.......take a chance, take a chance....

DD

 

We have a good young point guard on the roster. Can we at least give Brooks a shot before we replace him?

A didn't see that much in Koponen to be impressed with, in all honesty. Let him get his payday in Europe.

 

Honestly, I think the 2009 Memphis second rounder is a more valuable asset than Petteri Kopenen. No need to use that pick unless it's in a package for a legit rotation player.

Take a chance? Take a chance? DD, what are you? A member of ABBA?

 

But with Koponnen we have two chances for one of them to develop, either Brooks or him, or maybe.....be still my heart...both.

Take a chance, take a chance.....

DD

 

The Rockets might want to trade for a quality veteran in the last year of his contract. In order to sweeten the pot enough for the player's team to trade him, the Rockets may need to use that Memphis second rounder.

This approach could provide both another legit rotation player for a playoff run AND roster flexibility in the offseason.

 

But then who do you get rid of to keep him. Luther, as much as we dislike his performance against the Jazz in the playoffs, still has a role on this team. Not as much of one now that Barry is here. But should Tmac go down, we will need Luther again.

Unless Francis comes back strong and you can play he and Barry together for a lot of minutes.

I just can't see who we could lose. I guess maybe Mike Harris, but that would seriously bum me out.

I understand the concept of project players, but I wish that we had a minor league system where we could groom them to move to the big leagues. It's just a painful concept to have them taking up a roster space and not getting pt.

 

What about Chuck Hayes? He has some value...and we are deep at the PF spot now with Dorsey, Landry and Scola.



DD

 

You are so mean.

 

did you do debate in hs?

 

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-33-213/Petteri-Koponen-Signs-with-Virtus-Bologna.html

Sorry hooroo

 

Good deal for Koponen. He is not ready yet and would just ride the pine in any NBA team. The main thing here are the reportedly affordable buyout clauses. Given the strong euro, the salary is about same he would have received in Portland.

I still think he has the tools to become an rotation player for a good team. Great size, good vision, good mechanics and very high release point in his jump shot are his strenghts. He needs more strenghth, a better vertical and has to do better job at finishing at the rim but his overall athleticism is good.

I really haven't seen Boykins play too much, but what I remember he was more of a scorer than a point so I could see Bologna playing Koponen at the point in offense and guarding 2's on defense alongside Boykins who would concentrate on scoring.

It would have been nice for us in Finland to have a NBA player again though. The media doesn't really follow any basketball here at all and televised games are rare and the overall popularity of the game is decreasing.

 

Well to late for him to be in the NBA anymore he just signed a 4 year contract with the same Italian team that Earl Boykins signed with.

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